Before he took on the position as the highest official in Ukraine, Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a comedian and an actor who lent his voice to Paddington, the beloved bear in a children's movie.
According to Entertainment Weekly, industry insider Franklin Leonard confirmed that Zelenskyy was the voice of the famous bear in the Ukraine iteration of the movie and its sequel. The original voice of Paddington bear is "Downton Abbey" star and English actor Hugh Bonneville.
Bonneville shared a tweet saying that he did not know, until recently, that Zelenskyy was his Ukraine counterpart. He also posted a video of the Ukrainian president recording his lines for the film.
"Paddington," the movie, is set for a third iteration, but it's unclear if Zelenskyy will take part in the production. At this point, the President is occupied with serious matters of his state as Ukraine is in the middle of a war with Russia.
Ukraine's President as a Successful Comedian
Zelenskyy's film career is not one to scoff at, as he was the most successful comedian in Ukraine's modern film history before his election as president in 2019. He was also in the Ukrainian version of "Dancing with the Stars" and won the talent competition in 2006.
As an actor, Zelenskyy was a sought-after romantic comedy lead. In 2012, his most famous movie, "8 First Dates," which was compared to "Groundhog Day," was named the best comedy film in Russia. It remains the highest-rated feature on IMDb as well.
At the recent Screen Actors Guild Awards in Hollywood, winners Brian Cox and Michael Keaton dedicated their trophies to their fellow performer, Zelenskyy. Cox said that he respects Ukraine's President, who is a "wonderful comic performer" and an inspiring leader. On the other hand, Keaton said that Zelenskyy deserves the credit from his fellow actors as someone who is "fighting the fight."
Ukraine's President as a Dad and Husband
Before becoming a successful actor, Zelenskyy married his college sweetheart Olena Zelenska. He was studying screenwriting, and she was in architecture when their paths crossed at the Kryvyi Rih National University.
Zelenska became an architect while her husband pursued his career in show business. They dated for eight years before getting hitched and embracing their new roles as parents to a daughter, Aleksandra, 17 years old, and a son, Kiril, nine years old.
Zelenskyy's wife was "aggressively opposed" to her husband becoming Ukraine's President. Despite her apprehensions, Zelenska took her job as the First Lady of Ukraine seriously and focused on issues about gender equality.
As tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue, the Zelenskyy family has been boosting the morale of their fellow countrymen. While the President is on the ground with his soldiers and negotiating with Pres. Vladimir Putin, his wife, has been helping those in the bomb shelters. Zelenskyy said his family would remain in Ukraine even as thousands of Ukrainians have evacuated to safer neighboring countries.
